Miss Finals on Goal Differential

November 20, 2016 — So close!! Our U13 Liberty girls were a tiebreaker away from putting a bow on their successful season, but their intense effort against Baltimore Celtic in downright frigid weather this morning wasn't enough to punch in a goal a delivery a trip to the finals.

Welcome to the Hempfield Adidas Fall Classic, where the weather is always suspect and the soccer is top notch. 2016's edition was no different, as the Liberty notched two deserved wins on Saturday: 3-1 vs. Rochester Rhinos Elite and 5-1 LDC United Sting.

However, despite the Liberty's success, their upcoming opponents, Baltimore Celtic had given up no goals on Saturday and, therefore, owned the tiebreaker. The Liberty would need a win in Sunday's match to win their bracket and advance to the Division A1 final.

The weather was the story on Sunday morning, with temperatures in the 30s, but the 20+ mph winds making it feel like the upper teens. Bundled up and ready to play, both teams hit the pitch in what would become an aggressive and physical, but clean, match. The game was played mostly in the midfield, with short-duration attacks by both sides. It wasn't until the final 10 minutes, when the Liberty pressed forward in search of that winning goal, that Baltimore Celtic started to feel the heat.

However, when the final whistle blew, their defense had withstood the pressure and the two sides remained drawn 0-0 and Baltimore Celtic had earned their trip to the final.

It was a fabulous season, girls, and certainly something for everyone to be proud of! We can't wait to see what comes next for you!